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Jay Springsteen

Jay Springsteen of Lapeer will be long admired for his accomplishments during his illustrious motorcycle-racing career. In 1985 Jay won a record setting 40th National race in the prestigious AMA series.

Jay burst onto the scene in 1975 as a rookie, winning two races and placing third in National points. His wins in 1975 came at Louisville Downs, Kentucky and the Harrington Fairgrounds in Delaware.

Jay dominated the AMA Camel PRO series the following three seasons, winning consecutive championship between 1976 and 1978. His 20 wins in those three years included three wins at Ascot Park, CA, two wins each at Syracuse, NY, Indianapolis, IN, and Louisville, KY. He also scored single victories at San Jose, CA, Toledo, OH, Albuquerque, NM, Columbus, OH, DuQuoin, IL, Hinsdale, IL, Oklahoma City, OK, Houston, TX, Castle Rock, WA, Harrington, DE, and at Denver, CO.

He narrowly missed tying Carroll Resweber’s longstanding record of four straight championships in 1979, when he finished second to Steve Eklund. He won national events at Peoria, IL, Louisville, Laurel, MD, and Ascot, CA.

It was in 1979 that the “Springer’ began battling a stomach ailment that was seemingly intensified by pre race anxiety. That ailment kept Jay sporadically away from the track or his record may be even more impressive.

After a winless season in 1980 he scored three wins in 1981. They came at Syracuse, San Jose, and Houston. The next year saw him win on five occasions and surpass Bart Markel’s record of 28 National dirt track wins. His 1982 wins were at San Jose, Indianapolis, Harrington, Houston, and Sacramento, CA. He ran his total to 38 wins in 1983 with wins at Peoria, Harrington, Louisville, Ascot Park and at Knoxville, TN. He pushed the new record to 40 wins in 1985 with wins at Syracuse and San Jose.